Café Deluxe Tysons Corner
1800 International Drive West
McLean, VA 22102
703-761-0600
https://www.cafedeluxe.com

American | $

Looking for dinner before a recent Wolf Trap concert we chose Café Deluxe in Tysons Corner. It has been over 10 years since we lived in McLean and dined there. Little has changed. The Café Deluxe chain has operated 5 restaurants in the Washington, DC area since the late 80s.

The décor is a combination of dark woods and mirrors with an old world café look.

My wife’s Three Onion Soup was nice and not overly salty.

I liked my Prosciutto Mac & Cheese with Cavatappi Pasta, Gruyere, Cream, and Chives appetizer. The cork-screw pasta was cooked firmly and tasty. The gruyere cream sauce was excellent with the prosciutto.

My wife enjoyed her crumbled blue cheese salad.

For an entrée I tried the Arugula, Shaved Prosciutto, and Reggiano Parmesan Flatbread. I found the arugula and shaved parmesan cheese scarcely warm and appeared to have been added in the final preparation of the dish. Adding colder items to a warm dish cools it down quickly. The arugula was fresh and generously spread across the flatbread. The bread was crisp and at a temperature making it instantly edible. For me this usually means my last few bites will be cold.

Service was sufficiently ok. Our server was friendly but busy with tables outside. Our dishes from the 1^st course sat on the table for over 5 minutes in which the busboy passed twice and an assortment of wait staff passed the table 10 times. It is hard to say how long the plates would have remained but for a manager taking them away so he could deliver our entrées.

Décor plays an important role in controlling noise in a restaurant and this Café Deluxe is notorious for being a loud place to eat. Early during our dinner the noise level was 77 decibels with less than 10% of the restaurant full. As we ate the noise grew to a hard-to-hear 84 decibel crescendo when leaving. It might be easier to hear dining on the patio but having people stopped at the traffic light stare at me while I’m eating sort of creeps me out.

Tysons Corner has always been a growing area and with the new Metro Silver line it will see explosive growth. There are plenty of good restaurants and more coming. It could be a challenge for management if they find no way to focus on service and create a team environment for the wait staff.

AKT Nourish Market and Eatery
15111 Washington St., Suite 113
Haymarket, VA 20169
540-878-8664
http://www.annieskitchentable.com/

American | $

AKT Nourish is the best thing to happen to Haymarket since the town’s only stop light was put in. Open for breakfast and lunch the chefs and staff are ready to prepare first-rate meals. Breakfast places are few and good ones are hard to find. AKT Nourish is a good one. On Washington Street in downtown Haymarket, there is easy access to plenty of parking. The AKT in the name is rooted in their personal chef business and stands for Annie’s Kitchen Table.

Personal chefs Anne Thomas and Renée Marie have created a place where farm-to-table is at the heart of every dish. Fresh locally sourced foods in the hands of seasoned chefs never fails to impress. Coupled with fresh baked croissants and great coffee my breakfasts have been a treat.

It is not a large space but with tables outside there is seating for about 20.

As with many farm-to-table restaurants the menu changes often based on what is in season and available.

Chef Renée Marie on the left made me the best breakfast burrito I have had. Before I get bombarded with questions about the stove, putting in electric was strictly a business decision. The space was completely renovated before opening and running a gas line to the stove was cost prohibitive. Such a large capital expense to rental property didn’t make sense. Chef Thomas told me everyone has adapted well to the electric stove and the self-contained ventilation system it afforded also helped keep costs down.

The Crispy Breakfast Burrito with Scrambled Eggs, Chorizo, Hash Browns, and Cheese was magnificent. The chorizo had a great taste adding just the right spice.

My wife had the Veggie Scramble with an array of fresh vegetables in scrambled eggs and cheese. She loved the dish and raved about the fresh baked croissant.

On my latest visit I had the Belgian Waffle with a side of bacon, seasonal fruit and some nice whipped raspberry butter made in-house. The waffle was perfect and the fruit was bursting with flavor.

On my only lunch visit I selected the Bacon Blue Cheese Burger. The thick all beef burger was delicious and had just the right amount of blue cheese. Often there is too much blue cheese on burgers, smothering other flavors. If I wanted to taste just blue cheese I would have them hold the meat and bun when I order.

Piping hot coffee helps me start the day.

My wife loved the the hot Chai Tea.

Service is focused and top-notch. Everyone at AKT Nourish is professional and friendly. Interacting with the staff it is obvious they want to do everything they can to make your meal special.

There are places to eat breakfast in the Haymarket/Gainesville area. Panera Bread has a wide selection of bagels, IHOP is great for pancakes at night after a softball game, but none offer food as fresh and delicious as AKT Nourish. Try them once and you’ll be hooked, going back again and again.

Charleston Restaurant
1000 Lancaster St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-332-7373
http://www.charlestonrestaurant.com/

American | $$$$

Charleston has been on my radar for some time. Consistently rated one of the best restaurants in Baltimore co-owner and Chef Cindy Wolf is a James Beard Foundation 2014 Best Chef Mid-Atlantic nominee. We had the pleasure of dinning at Charleston  recently to celebrate our friend Elizabeth’s birthday. Charleston is in the Harbor East section of Baltimore south of Little Italy and near Fell’s Point. As with most of the Inner Harbor area parking is at a premium so use the complimentary valet parking.

Chef Wolf has created an interesting menu by doing away with the traditional appetizer and entrée groupings and offering one list of dishes from lightest to heaviest. Diners craft their own tasting menus: three, four, five, or six courses varying in price. Dishes are not small plates or a large entrée but something sized in between. If you wanted three items which are traditionally appetizers at other restaurants just pick. I have not seen this menu design before but I like it. If you’re not comfortable picking Chef Wolf has helped with the “Chef’s Menu of the Moment” showing her picks for a four course meal.

Under my folded napkin I found this signature plate that was removed before our first dish arrived. I never saw these plates again so I don’t know if they serve on them.

We started dinner with a wonderful amuse-bouche of Chilled Carrot Soup and Goat Cheese Mousse appetizer. The carrot soup was lovely chilled and is slightly thicker than a broth, just the right consistency. Everything is better as a mousse.

Chef Wolf’s low-country culinary roots are evident in many dishes including this corn shaped sweet cornbread.

First the delicate Lobster,

then the smooth Rich Lobster Soup with Curry and Arugula oils. The lobster was perfect, tender with a hint of curry in the soup.

My wife chose an incredible Mushroom Soup with Foie Gras Butter-Toasted Brioche and Bual Madeira. I don’t drink and am unfamiliar with how the Portuguese wine Madeira Bual should taste or contribute to the dish. I left the brioche for my wife to enjoy and tried the soup. It was light and as airy as a liquid can be. It was by far the best mushroom soup I have had.

Eager to experience Chef Wolf’s low-country cooking for my second course I chose the Shrimp & Stone–Ground Creamy Grits with Tasso Ham, Andouille Sausage, and Fresh Chives. Two jumbo shrimp sit atop a bed of creamy grits sprinkled with ham and sausage. A perennial Southern favorite at its finest.

Elizabeth ordered this beautiful Local Heirloom Tomato & Plum Salad with Medallion of Lobster and Curried Crème Fraiche.

My wife ordered the Pan-Roasted Dourade with Haricots Verts, Nicoise Olives, Tiny Capers, and Local Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. The Dourade is a fish more common in European restaurants. Nicely roasted with a taste similar to Rockfish.

My third course was Calamari in a zesty Lemon Saffron Risotto. The calamari was flawless and paired wonderfully with the flavorful risotto. This is a great summertime dish.

My last course before dessert which would typically be the main entrée was the Grilled Beef Tenderloin on a bed of Creamy Polenta with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Roasted Local Tomatoes. The tenderloin melted in your mouth and the mushrooms were divine. These appeared to be the white Chanterelles and not the golden ones. Wild chanterelle mushrooms can grow large on the east coast but these were medium size and magnificent sautéed.

My wife chose the Grilled Magret of Duck with Grilled Local Peaches, Toasted Ground Nuts, and Carrot Purée for her heaviest dish. The duck was mild and not gamey. The grilled peach slices sprinkled with ground nuts was interesting. The faint grittiness of the nuts lends an earthy tone to the succulent peaches.

Elizabeth had the Grilled Veal Tenderloin with Eggplant “Caviar,” Roasted Poblano Pepper Cream, and Grilled Zucchini. The veal was a little too rare for my taste but still good.

For dessert my pick from the five choices was the Opera Cake. An Almond Sponge Cake with Coffee Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache accompanied by Espresso Bean Vanilla Ice Cream. The Opera Cake was dense with many thin layers and luscious.

Elizabeth went with the Brown Sugar Pie made with Pecan Sablé, Toffee, Brown Butter Bourbon Cream, and a side of Bourbon Ice Cream. I did not taste this one but noticed it quickly disappeared from her plate.

My wife often has the staff pick between two dishes when she has trouble deciding. Here she requested either the Poached Local Peach Tart with Frangipane Puff Pastry, Raspberry Jam, and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Anglaise or the Local Blackberry Torte with Vanilla Sablé, Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream, and a Port Reduction. Our waitress brought her both. She liked each but picked the Blackberry Torte as her favorite.

The Charleston’s décor is warm and inviting. The expansive kitchen is mostly visible from the dining room how I like it. When I can see the kitchen I feel like the chef has nothing to hide. Lighting was good and with the restaurant full the noise was mid-range hard to hear at 75 decibels.

Service was impeccable, dishes arrived at just the right time. Without realizing it the dinner had a flow that paced the meal so the next dish arrived just as the last drifted off the palate. Our team of wait staff was friendly and focused, intent on providing just the right environment for enjoying a wonderful meal. I mentioned to the maî·tre d’ we had a wonderful meal at Vetri earlier this year and they deserved the James Beard Foundation 2014 Outstanding Service nomination. I told him I felt the service we received rivaled that at Vetri.

Chef Wolf’s classical French training combined with her love of Southern-inspired low-country cuisine promises an exceptional meal. If you’re a Foodie in the Mid-Atlantic region and have not eaten at Charleston make plans now. It has to be near the top of your “Where to Eat Next” list.

8045 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182
(571) 282 6003
http://www.chefgeoff.com/

American | $$$

Chef Geoff’s is one of six restaurants operated in the Washington, DC area by CIA graduate and author Chef Geoffrey Tracy. Tucked away just off of Route 7 in Tysons Corner the restaurant has an active early evening bar scene and is often busy for dinner. Located in the first floor of an office building there is little parking nearby, use the valet. We had a great time meeting close friends for dinner on our first visit.

We started with the White Truffle-Parmesan Popcorn my wife’s co-workers have raved about. I couldn’t find the truffle taste in the cheese. I am sure it was there just not for me. The cheese lays on top of the popcorn and seemed to fall everywhere when I grabbed it. I like cheese on popcorn and the taste, but it was just hard for me to converse and concentrate on getting the right amount of cheese with my popcorn. Appetizers should be effortless.

Next came the Fontina Risotto Balls. They were excellent, moist and perfectly cooked. The mild Fontina cheese is wonderful with the Risotto.

Our second appetizer was the mini Crabcakes with Old Bay Aioli. Plenty of crab with minimal filler and the savory aioli sauce made them delicious and a good choice.

When my steak arrived my brain screamed “YEAH IT’S THE BIGGEST FILET IN THE WORLD, wait it’s rare and not a filet.” I mentioned this to our waiter and learned he accidently grabbed the wrong dish. My filet arrived shortly and was magnificent but seemed small compared to the first “filet.”

One of my favorites is Mac n Cheese. This super cheesy corkscrew pasta Mac n Cheese was fantastic. It was hard to choose between this and the Very Gouda Grits.

My wife enjoyed her Seared Scallops with Creamy Polenta, Garlic Spinach, and a Red Wine Demi. The scallops were seared flawlessly and not overdone. The red wine demi-glace was sweeter than I have had and just the right consistency to go with the polenta and scallops.

With all the appetizers, popcorn, and steak there was no room for dessert. I will save that for the next trip. In our bustling dining room the lighting was good but the noise level was high at 77 decibels. We were in a rear dining room so I imagine tables near the bar are even louder. The wait staff is professional and attentive without being intrusive. The menu has a good selection of fish, beef, chicken, and pasta dishes so there should be something for everyone. On my first visit I order what I really want and save my second choice for next time. I can almost taste the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with a side of Very Gouda Grits.

Located in the Ritz Carlton Hotel
1700 Tysons Blvd.
McLean, VA 22102
703-744-3999
http://americaeatstavern.com/

American | $$

Recently I was in Tysons Corner at lunch time and decided to see if I could get into the new America Eats Tavern at the Ritz Carlton. The latest offering from Chef José Andrés and his Think Food Group has a patriotic theme throughout. I highly recommend reservations, it was very busy and I was lucky to get a table.

The America Eats name defines the menu’s rich array of home-style foods featuring local and regional flavors. Chef Nate Waugaman has done an outstanding job with the menu and getting the 138 seat restaurant running. Not an easy job considering the discriminating clientele at the Ritz Carlton.

The restaurant was participating in Washington, DC’s Restaurant Week so I ordered off the special menu and selected an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $20.14. To start I chose the Hush Puppies with South Mountain Creamery Butter.

They were left in the fryer just a little too long giving them a darker than normal look but not long enough to distract from their wonderful taste.

For my entrée I ordered the Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog with Yellow Mustard, Onion, and Sweet Pickle Relish in a Sport Pepper bun. The 100% certified all natural organic grass fed loved and hugged every night beef hot dog was fabulous and anything wrapped in bacon is always kicked up a notch. I reserve yellow mustard for the ball park but the turmeric flavor of the mustard was a nice complement to the sweet pickle relish.

Because restaurants at which I dine are apparently forbidden by law to offer butterscotch pudding I habitually choose a chocolate dessert. This was an excellent cake, moist and not super rich. I particularly liked the use of a chocolate pudding like filler between the layers and not just the same outer icing.

Coffee and cake go hand-in-hand and this was a pleasant full-bodied coffee. I especially like coffee in a cup easy to hold and doesn’t look like it came from a Barbie tea set.

Service was good but a little slow to refill my iced tea. The wait staff is friendly and the young man tagging along in training with my waiter seemed like he was on his way to learning the menu and providing excellent service. The restaurant was full when I dined and the noise level was good at 71 decibels, just at the bottom of the hard to hear scale.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from such a new establishment but I was pleasantly surprised, it was an enjoyable lunch. I can’t wait to go back for dinner and try the Gordonsville, VA inspired Fried Chicken.

911 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-837-9117
http://majesticcafe.com/

American | $$$

Every once in a while we find ourselves at a restaurant that astounds us. The Majestic turned out to be a special dining experience. I have thought about visiting The Majestic before but parking in Alexandria can be such a challenge it’s a deterrent to even the most diehard foodies. Since we were shopping in the area we stopped by without a reservation to see if they could seat us. Something I don’t recommend since the restaurant fills quickly.

The restaurant has a history as a café in its current location dating back to the 1940s. It was transformed into The Majestic in 2007 by Chef Cathal Armstrong’s Eat Good Food Group. Armstrong is best known for his Restaurant Eve, also in Alexandria and as a James Beard Foundation 7 time nominee for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.

At the helm of The Majestic’s kitchen is Chef Shannon Overmiller who did a masterful job preparing dinner. Having worked under Chef Armstrong at Restaurant Eve she is well suited for the roll of executive chef. Her love of the region drives her desire to source ingredients locally and gives her the ability to tell you from which farm or fisherman your dish came. Watching her at work can mesmerize as she moves between the kitchen, staff, and guests, directing, inspecting and having a hand in each dish.

Our first appetizer was an amazing Chicken Liver Mousse with a Blackberry Compote and Black Truffles. It comes with toasted French baguette slices but after the first bite my wife told the waiter “we’re going to need more bread, we’re leaving none of this behind.” Served slightly chilled as a mousse it has a consistency close to whipped butter. The favor is muted and not as strong as a liver pâté. Amid bites my wife alternated between saying the names of friends who would love this and we have to come back here.

For our second appetizer we were sold on the Red’s She Crap Soup when Chef Overmiller told us it was an old family recipe. Made with Lump Crab, Cream, Sherry and Oyster Crackers it was delectable. It had a nice creamy consistency without being too thick. The homemade oyster crackers were a nice touch.

I chose the Amish ‛Jerk’ Chicken with a Creamy Cucumber Sauce and Spoonbread for my main course. The spoonbread was cooked perfectly with a great corn pudding like taste. The chicken was mouthwateringly moist and had the wonderful Jerk spice taste to the crispy skin. The cucumber sauce was light, refreshing, and helped cool down the Jerk spice.

My wife’s dish was the Chef’s Special of Grilled Caves Liver and Onions with Whipped Potatoes. The hand-cut liver was tender with a light liver taste. The combination of pearl and sweet onions in a savory sauce was perfect.

My French Press coffee with dessert was excellent, full bodied and smooth.

My wife had this silky smooth Key Lime Pie for dessert. The pie had a nice crust sitting on a luscious Coconut Crème Anglaise with ripe succulent Kiwi.

Given a choice I almost always pick a chocolate dessert. I am glad I tried the Chocolate ‛Lava’ Cake with Chocolate Sauce and Pistachio Brittle. The warm molten chocolate combined with the vanilla ice cream was heavenly. It is rich and probably best shared by two.

To finish the meal the chef sent us these nice ricotta and cocoa rolled in coconut truffles. I am not fond of coconut but these were really good.

We dinned about 5:30pm when the restaurant seats. The noise level was low and grew as the restaurant filled. It was never over 72 decibels which puts it at the low end of the hard-to-hear scale. The lighting is pleasant and won’t give you that dimly lit dungeon dinning effect that seems so popular these days. The wait staff is professional, attentive and personable. Our waiter Jamie answered all of our menu questions and made excellent suggestions. He was always nearby and our glasses were never less than half full. I hope he is available on our next visit.

If you are looking for an exceptional dining experience for a special occasion or just a culinary treat move The Majestic to the top of your list.

Chart House Annapolis
300 2nd Street
Annapolis, MD 21403
(410) 268-7166
http://www.chart-house.com/

Seafood | $$$

This was our first time at The Chart House in Annapolis where we met with relatives sailing in the bay. It is a large restaurant seating over 100 on the water just across the Naval Academy. The company has 28 restaurants in 14 states with a second in our area in Alexandria.

They offer an extensive salad bar or you can choose from several nicely prepared salads.

I didn’t have any Calamari but it looked great.

Seafood always tastes better when you can see the water. These wonderful scallops were perfectly cooked and topped with a Ginger Soy Sauce & Wasabi Cream on a bed of Wasabi Mashed Potatoes with Asian Green Beans. The sauce had the familiar Wasabi bite and was a nice complement to the mashed potatoes.

My wife tried one of the Chef’s Features, the Rockfish Del Mar topped with Grilled Tomato Pico de Gallo (a fresh chopped salsa), Avocado and Balsamic Glaze served with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. She liked the fish and said it was cooked perfectly. For my taste I passed on the avocado and took a bite with the balsamic. Rockfish is a mild fish and adding the smooth balsamic cranked it up just a notch making it an appealing dish.

My cousin had Crab cakes with Avocado Corn Relish and Lemon Butter served with Toasted Vegetable Orzo. The crab cake was delicious with just enough filler to hold it together and not drowned in Old Bay.

This Crème Brûlée was my reward for finishing my dinner. Topped with fresh berries this rich vanilla custard with its thin caramelized topping was heavenly. Knowing how wonderful it is it will take real willpower not order it as an appetizer on my next visit.

We ate before 6pm on a Saturday night and watched the restaurant fill up quickly. The dining room has a tall ceiling so noise was kept to a low 73 decibels. If possible try to eat early so you can find a parking space. Chart House has its own parking lot but it did not look large enough to handle a full restaurant and parking could become a challenge, as it is most nights in downtown Annapolis.

Royal Indian Restaurant
1250 Emmet Street
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 973-2288
http://www.royalindianofcville.com/

Indian | $

My wife and I meet a large group of friends from the Charlottesville area several times a year at Royal Indian for dinner. We have never been disappointed. This was our first dinner at their new location on Rt. 29 directly across from The Federal Executive Institute. The new space is larger and quieter than the last with plenty of parking and access from both directions on Rt. 29.

I started with a smooth hot chai tea.

Roasted Cauliflower appetizer.

This Paneer Pakoras is a cottage cheese fritter dipped in gram flour batter. I have never had this appetizer and was intrigued with deep fried cottage cheese. Picturing the cottage cheese in our refrigerator I’m guessing my subconscious was saying it couldn’t be done, so I ordered it. The fritters have a consistency similar to tofu and are served with tamarind sauce to give it more taste. I can’t say I was disappointed, it’s just that I am used to Royal Indian dishes bursting with flavor, which makes it just an ok dish. But I am glad I tried it.

I love Naan bread and Royal Indian makes it fresh every day. We ordered several bread baskets which come with Naan, Garlic Naan, and a third selection of your choice. I didn’t hear what the third choice was because my brain locked up when I heard Garlic Naan. This is my favorite and the best I have had.

My main course was steaming hot Chicken Tikka served in a super-hot cast iron oval fajita griddle. This allows vegetables to keep cooking if you like them well done.

The Chicken Tikka with Masala sauce is amazing. The chicken had a hint of citrus from marinating and the Masala had the savory flavors of cumin and turmeric. Mine was ordered on the mild side but still a little hot. If you like it hot they can accommodate you. Some at our table prefer spicy food at a level that would cause normal people temporary blindness.

The finished product, Chicken Tikka over rice with Masala sauce.

My wife ordered the Lamb Korma which was wonderful. I have had the Beef Korma several times and I think it is my favorite.

We dined at the start of Charlottesville’s Restaurant Week and a member of our party got a great 3 course meal for $26. She ordered this vegetarian plate with Smashed Cauliflower, Green Peas, Potatoes, and Onions with Spices, Basmati Rice, and Spinach Bread.

We have tried other Indian restaurants but none compare to Royal Indian. The service is great and the staff always friendly. With the restaurant over half full the noise level was low at 70 decibels. The level of freshness and quality of the food for the price make it one of the best dinning values in Charlottesville. If you anywhere near Charlottesville you should dine at least once at Royal Indian to learn the standard with which to judge Indian restaurants.